Don’t retire, Gadaffi tells Museveni
VISITING Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gadaffi has told President Yoweri Museveni never to consider retiring from the presidency.
By Henry Mukasa
VISITING Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gadaffi has told President Yoweri Museveni never to consider retiring from the presidency.
Gadaffi, the crusader of a single African government, said the term limits entrenched in constitutions and political parties were alien to Africa and inhibited people from expressing their will.
Gadaffi, who has been in power for four decades, rallied African leaders to stand firm against former colonial powers forcing Western democracy down their throats. He also wooed the youth to reject dictators from the West.
He mentioned Belgium, Britain, Portugal, Italy and France among countries, which robbed Africa’s natural resources, treated Africans in a dehumanising way and left them under-developed.
“We need zeal and vision. Africa is still backward. This is a real war (to develop it). What we are asking from leaders like Museveni is to continue with the war or die in the war,†Gadaffi stated to applause.
He said Africa would be taken forward by revolutionaries and leaders with vision. “In Uganda we have Museveni. In Zimbabwe, we have Mugabe. They are real African leaders. They are serious. They should stay. Such leaders should not go,†Gadaffi repeated.
Gadaffi, on a four-day state visit, was closing the second Afro-Arab festival at Speke Resort Munyonyo yesterday. The ceremony, held in a giant marquee, was attended by Museveni, vice-president Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi and several ministers.
Gadaffi got a deafening applause on arrival at 11:40am. Youth waving Ugandan, Libyan and flags from the other 30 participating countries chanted as the two leaders walked to the podium.
Guests craned their necks to see Gadaffi, while several stood on garden chairs draped in white linen to get a better view.
When Gadaffi stood at the podium, he raised a clenched fist to the cheering youth and then joined both hands and raised them repeatedly in show of brotherhood.
Gadaffi said: “Museveni came through a revolution and the whole world is witnessing that Uganda has got development projects under him.â€
He said constitutions of Eurocentric democracy prescribe term limits of between three to five years. “After those years, even if you have a good person as a leader, they say he cannot stand again. But what is a constitution? A constitution is a document written by people. Instead of respecting the constitution, we should rely on the will of the people,†he explained as NRM youth cheered.
Gadaffi, who came to power through a military coup in 1969, slammed the use of the gun to solve political, civil, administrative or democratic questions. He said the practice was backward and should only be used against fascists and colonialists.
“I am feeling bad that even in Uganda, people want to solve problems using the gun,†he said in reference to the LRA and ADF rebellions.
Gadaffi said the colonialists brought electoral democracy which interfered with the tribal linkages and relations that bonded Africans. He said parties represented social castes, where there are workers and rulers. “They are not conducive for Africa.â€
He said Europeans should not tie aid to ‘democracy’. “They went to the Democratic Republic of Congo and told them, ‘if you want aid, form political parties.’ They formed 80 political parties. How can you form 80 political parties? Is that because they have 80 tribes? This does not match our setting. What matches is people’s power.â€
Gadaffi said although the colonialists looted Africa and built their cities using African slaves, the continent was still rich.
“They treated us like animals in forests. They would tie us with ropes like animals and throw us in oceans. They transferred us to Europe for labour and we worked like horses and oxen. These (European) countries were built on the blood and body of Arabs and Africans.â€
He said the Europeans parcelled out Africa to themselves and gave out Congo as a personal property of King Leopold of Belgium. “How can Congo be a property of one person?â€
He said other countries lost their names as they were renamed: North Rhodesia (Zambia) and South Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).
“South Africa is not fully independent. It’s full of whites. Africans are living in poverty in slums,†he lamented. The white rulers in South Africa practised apartheid.
He said Angola was handed to Portugal; colonialists said Algeria was part of France while Libya was said to be part of Italy. He caused laughter when he said Cameroon was a name of a French military officer.
“Lake Victoria next to us here is the biggest lake in Africa; that’s a queen’s name in Britain. A queen in the northern hemisphere owns something here. We are recognising her to that extent!†Gadaffi said, attracting murmurs.
Museveni did not comment on Gadaffi’s remarks while giving a vote of thanks.
Earlier, Museveni said Gadaffi had contributed in four major areas in Africa. He said Gadaffi adopted an independent policy for Libyan development after his 1969 coup.
“Making a coup is not a good idea in itself,†he said to muted murmurs. “The difference is that Brother Gadaffi turned a coup into a revolution,†Museveni pointed out.
He said Gadaffi struggled to raise the oil price in 1971 from $40 cents per barrel to $40, helping third world countries awash with ‘petrol dollars’ get better revenue.
The price now stands at $106 and Museveni said the price beacons a good future for Uganda with its recent oil discoveries. He also lauded Gadaffi for transforming Libya’s economy.
Museveni said Gadaffi was among the top six leaders that supported liberation movements in Africa. Others, Museveni said, were the late Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda, Ahmed Sekou Toure, Abdul El Nasser and Kwame Nkrumah.
“These were the original supporters.†They were joined by socialist countries like China, Cuba and North Korea and some Scandinavian countries.
“Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark gave non-lethal aid like chocolate,†Museveni said, drawing laughter from the youth.
VISITING Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gadaffi has told President Yoweri Museveni never to consider retiring from the presidency.
Gadaffi, the crusader of a single African government, said the term limits entrenched in constitutions and political parties were alien to Africa and inhibited people from expressing their will.
Gadaffi, who has been in power for four decades, rallied African leaders to stand firm against former colonial powers forcing Western democracy down their throats. He also wooed the youth to reject dictators from the West.
He mentioned Belgium, Britain, Portugal, Italy and France among countries, which robbed Africa’s natural resources, treated Africans in a dehumanising way and left them under-developed.
“We need zeal and vision. Africa is still backward. This is a real war (to develop it). What we are asking from leaders like Museveni is to continue with the war or die in the war,†Gadaffi stated to applause.
He said Africa would be taken forward by revolutionaries and leaders with vision. “In Uganda we have Museveni. In Zimbabwe, we have Mugabe. They are real African leaders. They are serious. They should stay. Such leaders should not go,†Gadaffi repeated.
Gadaffi, on a four-day state visit, was closing the second Afro-Arab festival at Speke Resort Munyonyo yesterday. The ceremony, held in a giant marquee, was attended by Museveni, vice-president Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi and several ministers.
Gadaffi got a deafening applause on arrival at 11:40am. Youth waving Ugandan, Libyan and flags from the other 30 participating countries chanted as the two leaders walked to the podium.
Guests craned their necks to see Gadaffi, while several stood on garden chairs draped in white linen to get a better view.
When Gadaffi stood at the podium, he raised a clenched fist to the cheering youth and then joined both hands and raised them repeatedly in show of brotherhood.
Gadaffi said: “Museveni came through a revolution and the whole world is witnessing that Uganda has got development projects under him.â€
He said constitutions of Eurocentric democracy prescribe term limits of between three to five years. “After those years, even if you have a good person as a leader, they say he cannot stand again. But what is a constitution? A constitution is a document written by people. Instead of respecting the constitution, we should rely on the will of the people,†he explained as NRM youth cheered.
Gadaffi, who came to power through a military coup in 1969, slammed the use of the gun to solve political, civil, administrative or democratic questions. He said the practice was backward and should only be used against fascists and colonialists.
“I am feeling bad that even in Uganda, people want to solve problems using the gun,†he said in reference to the LRA and ADF rebellions.
Gadaffi said the colonialists brought electoral democracy which interfered with the tribal linkages and relations that bonded Africans. He said parties represented social castes, where there are workers and rulers. “They are not conducive for Africa.â€
He said Europeans should not tie aid to ‘democracy’. “They went to the Democratic Republic of Congo and told them, ‘if you want aid, form political parties.’ They formed 80 political parties. How can you form 80 political parties? Is that because they have 80 tribes? This does not match our setting. What matches is people’s power.â€
Gadaffi said although the colonialists looted Africa and built their cities using African slaves, the continent was still rich.
“They treated us like animals in forests. They would tie us with ropes like animals and throw us in oceans. They transferred us to Europe for labour and we worked like horses and oxen. These (European) countries were built on the blood and body of Arabs and Africans.â€
He said the Europeans parcelled out Africa to themselves and gave out Congo as a personal property of King Leopold of Belgium. “How can Congo be a property of one person?â€
He said other countries lost their names as they were renamed: North Rhodesia (Zambia) and South Rhodesia (Zimbabwe).
“South Africa is not fully independent. It’s full of whites. Africans are living in poverty in slums,†he lamented. The white rulers in South Africa practised apartheid.
He said Angola was handed to Portugal; colonialists said Algeria was part of France while Libya was said to be part of Italy. He caused laughter when he said Cameroon was a name of a French military officer.
“Lake Victoria next to us here is the biggest lake in Africa; that’s a queen’s name in Britain. A queen in the northern hemisphere owns something here. We are recognising her to that extent!†Gadaffi said, attracting murmurs.
Museveni did not comment on Gadaffi’s remarks while giving a vote of thanks.
Earlier, Museveni said Gadaffi had contributed in four major areas in Africa. He said Gadaffi adopted an independent policy for Libyan development after his 1969 coup.
“Making a coup is not a good idea in itself,†he said to muted murmurs. “The difference is that Brother Gadaffi turned a coup into a revolution,†Museveni pointed out.
He said Gadaffi struggled to raise the oil price in 1971 from $40 cents per barrel to $40, helping third world countries awash with ‘petrol dollars’ get better revenue.
The price now stands at $106 and Museveni said the price beacons a good future for Uganda with its recent oil discoveries. He also lauded Gadaffi for transforming Libya’s economy.
Museveni said Gadaffi was among the top six leaders that supported liberation movements in Africa. Others, Museveni said, were the late Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda, Ahmed Sekou Toure, Abdul El Nasser and Kwame Nkrumah.
“These were the original supporters.†They were joined by socialist countries like China, Cuba and North Korea and some Scandinavian countries.
“Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark gave non-lethal aid like chocolate,†Museveni said, drawing laughter from the youth.